Patrick Butler: Proof that Rumsfeld intentionally started the civil war in Iraq through the Badr BrigadeI list the evidence that Rumsfeld intentionally started the civil war in Iraq through the Badr Brigade. The evidence shows that Rumsfeld could not have believed the Iran was helping its proxies kill Americans, or he wouldn't have released Badr assassination teams and stopped investigations into the Badr Brigade. This info is now more vital than ever given Bolton and his call for regime change in Iran, even through the MEK. 4

William T. Hathaway: Germany's new right wingThe German right wing surges ahead and is now the third most powerful force in the parliament. 2

Kevin Tully: Faith Is Not An ExcuseFaith is not an excuse, it is a gift. The Religious Conservative Right, in these morally topsy turvy days of Trump, has exchanged a gift for an alibi. 20

Bob Johnson: Young Turks Are Leaving Islam For DeismTurkish students in state-sponsored Islamic schools are leaving Islam for Deism. This has Turkish government and religious officials upset. It would be wonderful to see the same thing happen in the US as it would greatly weaken the religious right. 1

Roger Copple: Integrating the Perennial Philosophy into the Greens' Ten Key ValuesIt is important that we the people start waking up to discover the vast human or divine potential within us. If the perennial philosophy can be incorporated into the Ten Key Values of the Green Party, it will bring new members into the fold. It is still possible that a Green Party candidate can win the presidential election of 2020 if Green Party members integrate the Perennial Philosophy into their personal lifestyles. 7

Eric Walberg: History lesson: From Dunkirk to BerlinIn the 1930s the perceived threat was the "specter of communism" haunting Europe. Today the perceived threat is the "specter of Islam," now reduced to Iran, as the only anti-imperialist Muslim state. Terrorism then was seen to be communism, though the Soviet Union was peaceful. 2

Fakeer Ishavardas: Will a world totally devoid of religion be better?Denouncing religion has become the staple diet of many a modern man. Not that this lot does so without reason. For, most religions are but fit for beasts. Unfit for human consumption. However, were religion understood in its metaphysical context - of realigning with the Truth -
then, it needs adopting. Otherwise, it remains a feast for the dogs, to fight over. A sensible person would then be better off staying away from it. 4

Allen Finkelstein: Let's See--Have Evangelicals Become the Unwitting New Soldiers of Satan?We seem to have a president who could himself obtain a security clearance in only one way, by being elected president. He has already compromised our allies by giving classified information to Russians whom he invited to the White House. He has bypassed unobtainable security clearances for numerous friends and appointees, Michael Flynn, Jared Kushner, and Rob Porter to name a few... 2

Roger Copple: Improving the World with New Religions or No ReligionWe need ecological religions that consider the whole earth sacred and interconnected. Today it is common to hear people say they are spiritual but not religious. But it is unfortunate that people are spiritual but not political. We're not going to transform the CIA, the military-industrial-congressional complex, and the wealthiest one percent merely by generating love in their directions. We have to become political too. 6

Allen Finkelstein: "We Used to be Christians"What we have so far in the current "Trump" or what is more accurately the "We used to be Christians" Republican administration is literally a Christmas wish list submitted by the wealthiest and most greedy of Republican donors... 2

Mark Taliano: Political InsanityIf there is such a thing as "Political Islam", then, by the same logic there are many other "politicals". Some of these would include "Political Christianity", "Political Humanitarianism", and "Political Feminism". 5

Abdus-Sattar Ghazali: 2017: Another difficult year for American MuslimsThe seven-million American Muslims remained under siege since 9/11/2001 through reconfiguration of US laws, policies and priorities but their plight has taken a new twist under President Donald Trump whose anti-Muslim policies alarmingly fomented hate crimes against them. 1

Ashish Shukla: Tharoor, Hegde and ConstitutionTharoor threshes out quotes from the works of former RSS supremo M.S. Golwalkar and Deen Dayal Upadhyay to show their disapproval of Indian Constitution. The insinuation is that our holy grail, the Indian Constitution, is not safe under the present dispensation of BJP and its fountainhead, RSS. 7

John Whitehead: Jesus Was Born in a Police StateThe Christmas narrative of a baby born in a manger is a familiar one. Yet what if, instead of being born into the Roman police state, Jesus had been born and raised in the American police state?

James Small: A Christmas ChurlSatire: A Nightmarish Book Review of a twisted version of the Christmas Carol by a recognizable blended reviewer. 1

Ashish Shukla: Pavan Varma shows his real self on Gandhi, Nehru & HindutvaVarma praises Mahatma Gandhi for his "respect for all religions." Does Varma remember that Gandhi had made the last-ditch proposal to Jinnah to accept Muslim/non-Muslim parity in Parliament, making one Muslim equal to three non-Muslims? (As an aside, how could Gandhi who has "respect for all religions" be praised for his "Catholic spirit"? Too bad, Mr Varma for using a communal brush on your hero.) 1